Metalworking machine



J. B. M CLELLAND METALWORKING MACHINE April 6, 1948.

Filed May 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Shet 1 LLIF .FIILL IN VE N TOR. fames' b. jllellazzd.

MN, KN

RS Q &

HIS" ATTORNEY April 6, 1948. J. B. MCCLELLAND 2,439,015

METALWORKING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

J'amg; filellqnd'.

HIS ATTORNEY 3 provided at its outer end with an annular flange l4a or [5a, which flanges cooperate with clamping nuts 25 and 26 screwed onto the threaded ends of the squeeze shaft. The nuts are tightened until the bending roll is firmly gripped by the centering cones, and the sleeves are then gripped by means of two set screws I! screwed through eyes l6 into engagement with the sleeves.

The shape of the dies will likewise depend upon the type of the bend to be made, and with the machine arranged to bend radii as shown each die is provided with a curved radius 20a or 2 la which faces the radius on the other die. The dies are adjustably secured to the bed plate by means of studs 21 which extend through slotted holes 28 scribed are well known, and in themselves form no part of my present invention except insofar V as they cooperate with the remainder of the apin the bed plate 2 and are screwed into tapped holes 28 provided in the underside of the dies.

It will be obvious that by loosening the studs 21 the dies can be moved toward or away from the center of the bed plate to any desired lateral spacingwithin thexlimits of adjustmentto pro{ vide' the desired adjustment for bending different radiih r f [When a bend is to'be made, the forming member l 0 is movedto its upper position by admitting fluid pressure to the lower ends of the fluid pressure motors Fl and'FZ below the pistons in these motors, and the'workpiece is, inserted between the forming members and the dies. The fluid pressure which waspreviou-sly admitted to'the lower ends of the. motors is then vented to at mosphere and fluid pressure is admitted to the upper ends of the motors above the pistons.- This fluid pressure causes the roll to move toward the. dies and thereby form a radius in the workpiece. The degree of bend may be adjusted by means of the turnbuckles 1 interposed between the'piston rods of the motors and the operating rods 8 as will be obvious. 7 The basic principle-of this method of forming sheet metalis similar to the rolling method which gradually breaks down the molecules of the sheet metal so that much lesspower is required'than is necessary, for example,-with the punch press method of bending sheet metal. a The supply of fluid pressure to the fluid pressure motors may be controlled in any desired manner. As here shown,it isoontr'olled by a valve mechanism VM including a rocker shaft 30 pivotally connected adjacent one end to the casing of a six-way fluid valve FV for rocking movement between upper and lower positions,

and operatively connected at the other end by means of a, link 3| to the plunger 32 of a solenoid S the energization of which is controlled'by a foot switch PS. The upper position of the rocker arm 30 is determined by a stop washer 33 mounted on a stop rod 34 between the upper side of the rocker arm and a nut 35 screwed onto the upper end of the rod 34. The stop rod- 34 extends with clearance through a hole 36 in the rocker arm, and is secured at its lower end to the base of the valve mechanism} The rocker arm 30 is constantly biased to itsupper position by a compressed coil spring 31- which surrounds the stop rod-below the arm. The parts are so arranged that when the rocker arm is rotated to its upper position; the fluid valve FV will be actuatedto a position in which it admits fluid from a suitable source through a; pipe 46 and the valve FV toa pipe 4| leading to the lower end of both motors, and will vent fluid to atmosphere through a pipe leading from the valve tothe upper ends of the motors to thuscause the'bending roll it) tomove toan upper position. If; however; the rocker paratus to produce the desiredcontrol of the supply of fluid pressure to the fluid pressure motors. L

\For reasons which will be obvious it is desirable to be able to automatically stop both the downward and upward movement of the bending roll at any desired point in its stroke. 'For the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the bending roll, I provide suitable adjustable mechanism for attimes mechanically operating the rocker arm 36 of the valve mechanism independently of the rocking movement provided by energization of the solenoid S. As here shown, these means comprise an extension 45 which is'secured to one end of therocker arm 0f the valve and which is provided at its other end with a vertically disposed slotted plate 46. The slotted plate 46'is adjustably connected by means'of a bolt 41 to the lower end of a vertical link 48 the upper end of which is pivotally attached to. one end of a'stop arm 49. The stop arm 49 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in a crosshead 56 slidably supported in a guideway 5| formed on the upper end of an upright support 52 secured at its lower end to the base I of the machine. The free end of the stop arm 49 is adapted to beengaged by a stop rod 55, clamped at its ends to the piston rods 6 of the fluid pressure motors .FI and F2, in such manner. that as the piston rods move upwardly, the stop arm will be rotated by the stop rod to a position in which it will finally act through the link 48 to rotate the rocker arm 36 of the valve mechanism VM to the'position in which it causes the supply of fluid pressure to the lower ends of the. motors to be cut off irrespective of whether the solenoid magnet is then energized or deenergized. The crosshead.50 is rotatably secured to the lower end of an adjusting screw 53 screwed through abushing 54 mounted in theupper end of the support, and itv will be obvious that by rotating the screw 53 to. different positions to .vary the vertical. position of the crosshead the. forming roll can be readily made to move upwardly'to any desired position and stop automatically in such position, It will also be apparent that if suiflcient adjustment cannot'be obtained by meansof the adjusting screw 53 to limit the upward stroke of the forming roll to the desired position, further adjustment can be obtained by changing the point of attachment of the stop arm 48 to the slotted plate 46 by means of the bolt 45.

The downward stroke of limited by means of a limit switch LS which is secured to one of the vertical posts '50 forming part of the framework of the machine, andwhich is provided with an operating arm 6|] that cooperates with a finger 61 provided on a slider 62 adjustably mounted on the lower end of a depending arm 63 secured to the stop rod 55.: The limit switch LS is connected in series with the the forming roll is g solenoid between solenoid. and the foot switch FS, and acts when, the arm 60. is en.- gaged, by the finger 61, to. interrupt the supply of currentto the solenoid to thereby deenergize; the, solenoid and thus stop the movement ofthe forming roll. V

One? advantage of a metalworking machine embodying my invention is thatit. makesipossible high speedfproduction ata yerylow cost for tools and dies. Simpl'etools for speciaitypesofblends can be quickly made in shops having ordinary equipment out of standard cold rolled steel or open hearth steel, angle iron,'channel iron, etc.

Another advantage of a metal working machine embodying my invention is that there is an absence of any overhead castings which might prevent the bending of certain sections such as box bodies which are formed by a series of 90 bends.

Another advantage of a metal working machine embodying my invention is that it will bend a large series of radii in sheet metal having a .wide variety of gages and any length up to the maximum length of the forming roll provided.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of metal working machine embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described including a pair of movable operating rods each provided with an eye and a forming roll supported at its ends by said operating rods, the means for securing the forming roll to saidoperating rods comprising a squeeze shaft extending with clearance through said roll and through the eye provided on each of said operating rods, two selfcentering cones slidably mounted on said shaft with their smaller ends extending into the ends of said forming roll, each said cone being provided at its outer end with a counterbore the inner end of which forms a shoulder, two sleeves slidably mounted on said shaft within said eyes and extending into said counterbore into engage ment with said shoulders, and two nuts screwed onto the outer ends of said shaft into engagement with said sleeves.

2. A metal working machine comprising a supporting framework including a bed plate and a base plate, two fluid pressure motors secured to said framework with their axes vertical at the opposite ends of said bed plate, each said fluid pressure motor being provided at its upper end with a piston rod, two operating rods sJidably supported in said bed plate in axial alignment with the piston rods of said motors and adjustably connected with said piston rods, cooperating metal working members secured respectively to said bed plate and to the upper ends of said operating rods, an electrically operated valve effective when energized to admit fluid to one end of said motors to move said operating rods downwardly and when deenergized to admit fluid to the other ends of said motors to move said operating rods upwardly, a limit switch connected in series in the energizing circuit for said valve, and adjustable means for actuating said switch in response to a predetermined amount of downward movement of said operating rods.

3. A metal working machine comprising a supporting framework including a bed plate and, a

base piate, two fluid pressuremotors secured; to said framework with theiraxes uertica'l at' the op posi'te ends of said bed plate, eachsaid fluid pressure motor-beingprovided at jits upper-end with a piston rod, two operating rods slidabiy supported in said bed plate in axial alignment with the piston rods of said motors and adjustably connected with said. piston. rods, cooperating metal working members secured respectively to said bed platean'd tothe upper ends ofsazld operating rods, an electrically operated valveefiecttve when onergized to admit fluid to one end of said motors to move said operating rods downwardly and when deenergized to admit fluid to the other ends of said motors to move said operating rods upwardly, a limit switch connected in series in the energizing circuit for said valve, adjustable means for actuating said switch in response to a predetermined amount of downward movement of said operating rods, and other adjustable means mechanically connected with said operating rods and with said valve for moving said valve independently of its electrical control in response to a predetermined amonmt of upward movement of said operating rods to limit the upward movement of said operating rods.

4. A metal working machine comprising a supporting framework including a bed plate and a I base plate, two fluid pressure motors secured to said framework with their axes vertical at the opposite ends of said bed plate, each said fluid pressure motor being provided at its upper end with a piston rod, two operating rods slidably supported in said bed plate in axial alignment with the piston rods of said motors and adjustably connected with said piston rods, cooperating metal working members secured respectively to said bed plate and to the upper ends of said operating rods, an electrically operated valve effective when energized to admit fluid to one end of 'said motors to move said operating rods downwardly and when deenergized to admit fluid to the other ends of said motors to move said operating rods upwardly, a stop rod connected to the piston rods of said motors to move therewith, a, depending bar secured tosaid stop rod, a slider adjustably mounted on said bar, a stop finger secured to said slider, and a limit switch connected in series in the energizing circuit for said electrically operated valve and provided with an operating arm which cooperates with said finger.

5. A metal working machine comprising a supporting framework including a bed plate and a base plate, two fluid pressure motors secured to said framework with their axes vertical at the opposite ends of said bed plate, each said fluid pressure motor being [provided with a piston rod, two operating rods slidably supported in said bed plate in axial alignment with the piston rods of said motors and adjustably connected with said piston rods, cooperating metal working members secured respectively to said bed plate and to the upper ends of said operating rods, an electrically operated valve effective when energized to admit fluid to one end of said motors to move said operating rods downwardly and when deenergized to admit fluid to the other ends of said motors to move said operating rods upwardly, an extension secured to the operating member of said valve for operating said valve independently of the electrical means for operating it, a horizontal stop arm, a vertical link adjustably secured at its lower end to said extension and at its upper end to said horizontal stop arm, vertically adjustable means for pivotally supporting said stop arm intermediate its ends, and a. stop rod secured to the piston rods of; said motors and cooperating with the free end of said stop arm for at times'aotuatmg said valve in response to the upward movement ed said piston rods to limit the upward stroke of the piston rods. I V

1 JAMES B. MCCLEILAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 

